Has Michigan healthcare abandoned DEI since losing federal funding for it early last year? Certainly, the ideological bombardment of the public square has diminished.

I first researched the DEI/ ESG healthcare intersection in 2023, and began tracing its death throes in 2024. It’s time to check vital signs again on this malign influence in our healthcare.

DEI bedfellows: a recap

Critical Theory is the worldview linking DEI, ESG, SOGI, IBT, and related terms. It drives issues of identity, power dynamics, and social justice throughout society including healthcare.

DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) typically lives in human resource and marketing departments. It relates to finance/investment world ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) as core of the social pillar.
IBT (Implicit Bias Training) is the state’s term for mandated worker education indoctrination in Critical Theory.
SOGI (Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity) is a creation of the psychology realm now embedded in Michigan’s civil rights law.

Opposing Critical Theory are the concepts of American liberty: advancement by merit, equal rule of law, God-given natural law, and individual rights of life, liberty, and property.

DEI in Michigan healthcare today

I looked for current position statements in four major sectors of Michigan healthcare: state government, hospitals, insurance, and universities.

The State of Michigan

The State of Michigan still requires IBT for all employees according to a February 27, 2026 DIFS email. (Department of Insurance and Financial Services)
The MDHHS website continues to carry its 2018 DEI statement, revised in 2019. However, it renamed two agencies in 2025 to remove the DEI labels.
Through LARA, the State of Michigan continues to require all licensed health professionals to complete annual IBT.
The state DEI Toolkit Online is available from the MEDC (Michigan Economic Development Corporation).
Michigan senators affirmed DEI in the 3-page Resolution 18 on 3-18-25.
“A resolution affirming that the Michigan Senate recognizes diversity, equity, and inclusion as essential foundational principles for achieving the American Dream and encouraging policymakers, educational institutions, workplaces, and other organizations throughout the state and nation to adopt and uphold these principles in their work.”

Michigan Hospitals

Corewell “Vision: A future where health is simple, affordable, equitable, and exceptional.” Its careers page includes slightly-tweaked DEI language.
Henry Ford Health HR page:
“Diversity and inclusion are considered in all of our decisions and are the key reasons that we are nationally recognized as a top diversity employer for all of the nursing, pharmaceutical and other healthcare jobs we have available in Michigan.”
America First Legal (AFL) filed a formal civil rights complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office for Civil Rights (OCR), demanding an immediate investigation into Henry Ford Health’s (HFH) systemic violations of federal nondiscrimination law. The complaint outlines a sweeping pattern of race- and sex-based discrimination embedded across HFH’s clinical operations, medical training programs, employment practices, and patient services, driven and sustained by nearly $1 billion in federal grants focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) awarded since 2021.”
McLaren Health Care variously states its mission as to be “Michigan’s best value in health care as defined by quality outcomes and cost” and “committed to bringing high-quality, evidence-based care right to your community.” I see no current DEI language.
Left-leaning Glass Door maintains a DEI rating system, which states: “McLaren Health Care has a Diversity, Equity & Inclusion rating of 3.2 out of 5 stars, based on 372 anonymous employee ratings. This is equal to the average for DEI ratings in the Healthcare sector. The average DEI rating left by 372 employees improved over the last 12 months.”
University of Michigan Health-West is dug in and doubling down on using DEI, SOGI, and other related terms.

Universities

Michigan State University announced it had removed DEI from its HR procedures on July 11 2025. However, its College of Osteopathic Medicine continues to proclaim DEI.
A year after University of Michigan disavowed DEI, it continues to hear from pro-DEI insurgents among faculty, and advocates for a return to trans pediatrics at Michigan Medicine.
Western Michigan University’s DEI committee continues apace, albeit doing its own fundraising and without nursing school representation.
Medical schools at Oakland University, Wayne State, and Central Michigan all remain committed to DEI.
(DEI Tracker)
The Baker College of Nursing 2025-2026 handbook includes DEI outcomes – but only once. Last year it was twice. Maybe a trend?

Health Insurance

BCBS EEO statement (revised 1-31-25) includes SOGI language. Glass Door posts an “EDI” rating of 3.8, trending slightly downward.
Priority Health retains equity language, though its most recent “Community Relations Report” (2024) is no longer available on the website.
“Priority Health for Good is our company’s promise to improve health equity through advocacy, employee citizenship and investing in the community.”
United Healthcare‘s website appears scrubbed of DEI. Its most recent entry available is from 2022.
Meridian Health Insurance (parent company Centene) retains full SOGI language.
“Meridian complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity). Meridian does not exclude people or treat them differently because of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity)….
“If you believe that Meridian has failed to provide these services or discriminated in another way on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), you can file a grievance with our 1557 Coordinator. …”